4211# "请他的弟兄们来吃饭"象征从主的神性自然层面获得良善。这一含义可从多个层面来理解。首先，"弟兄们"象征当时以盟约（即友谊）结合的人，在内在意义上指那些处于良善与真理中的人。关于"弟兄"这一称呼的深层含义，可参见相关内容（参367，2360，3303，3459，3803，3815，4121，4191节）的详细解释。而"吃"则象征接受（参3168，3513f，3832节）。在古人的传统中，进食和宴会本身就象征着通过仁爱与仁义而实现的接受与结合（参3596节）。"饼"具有更为丰富的象征含义：它象征爱之良善（参276，680，1798，3478，3735节），在至高意义上象征主本身（参2165，2177，3478，3813节）。正因为"饼"在至高意义上象征主，它也象征从主而来的一切神性事物，即一切良善与真理。由于真正的良善只能来自仁爱与仁义，因此"饼"也象征这两种品质。
在信仰传统的演变中，古时的祭祀也象征着同样的意义，因此它们都被统称为"饼"（参2165节）。人们食用祭肉是为了象征天上的宴席，即通过爱与仁义之良善而实现的结合。这一传统在现今的圣餐中得到了延续，圣餐取代了古时的祭祀和圣化宴席。圣餐作为教会的外在形式，包含着深刻的内在意义。通过这种内在意义，它将活在仁爱与仁义中的人与天堂连结，并通过天堂与主建立联系。在圣餐中，"吃"象征接受，“饼”象征属天之爱，“酒”象征属灵之爱。这种象征意义如此深刻，以至于当人在圣洁状态下领受圣餐时，这些灵义在天堂中得到完全的体现。
【2】这段经文谈到从主的神性自然层面接受良善，是因为这里讨论的是外邦人的良善。外邦人的良善现在由"拉班"所象征（参4189节）。人与主的结合并非直接与他的至高神性建立，而是通过他的神性人性实现。这是因为人对主的至高神性完全无法形成任何概念，它超越了人类的理解范围，以致于在人的思维中完全无法把握。然而，人能够理解并接受他的神性人性。每个人都是通过思维和情感与他能够理解的对象建立联系，而不是与完全超出其理解范围的对象结合。
当我们思考主的人性时，如果这种思考充满神圣，我们也会意识到从主流溢并充满天堂的神圣。这样的思考自然会引向对天堂的认识，因为整个天堂形成一个完整的人形，这完全来自于主（参684，1276，2996，2998，3624-3649节）。正因如此，我们无法直接与主的至高神性结合，而是首先与他的神性人性结合，然后通过神性人性与至高神性结合。这就是《约翰福音》所说的："从来没有人看见神，只有在父怀里的独生子将他表明出来。"（1:18）同样，经上也说"若不藉着我，没有人能到父那里去"，并称他为"中保"。
这一真理可以从实际经验中得到证实：在教会中，那些声称相信某种抽象的至高存在，却轻视主的人，实际上什么都不相信——他们既不相信天堂的存在，也不相信地狱的实在，而是转而崇拜自然。更有意思的是，如果我们愿意从经验中学习，就会发现那些邪恶的人，甚至是最邪恶的人，也常常持有类似的观点。
【3】人们对主的人性有着不同层次的理解，每个人的认识都不尽相同，其神圣程度也各有差异。在教会中的人能够认识到主的人性就是神性的，也能理解他与父原为一体，正如主自己所说："父在我里面，我在父里面。"然而，教会之外的人则难以达到这种理解，这不仅是因为他们对主缺乏认识，更因为他们只能通过可见可触的形象和偶像来理解神性。尽管如此，主仍然通过他们的仁义善行和顺服之心，在他们朴素的理解层面上与他们建立联结。这就是为什么这里特别提到他们是从主的神性自然层面接受良善。
主与人的结合方式是根据每个人的思维状态和由此产生的情感倾向来调整的：那些对主持有最神圣认识，并同时具备良善与真理的知识与情感的人（通常是教会中的成员），能够与主的神性理性层面建立结合。那些虽然没有如此深刻的理解和情感，但仍然活在仁义之善中的人，则与主的神性自然层面建立结合。而那些持有更为朴素圣洁观念的人，则与主的神性感官层面建立结合。这种结合形式就是由摩西举起的铜蛇所象征的，凡仰望它的人都从蛇咬的伤害中得到医治（《民数记》21:9）。
在这最后一种结合形式中的典型代表就是那些外邦人，他们虽然敬拜偶像，却按照自己的宗教信仰活出仁义的生活。通过以上的解释，我们现在可以更清楚地理解为什么"雅各请他的弟兄们来吃饭"象征着从主的神性自然层面接受良善。这种理解帮助我们看到，主以其无限的智慧，按照每个人的接受能力和理解程度，以不同的方式与人类建立联结，使得每个人，无论其信仰背景如何，都能在适合自己的层面上接受来自主的良善。
4211.“叫自己的弟兄来吃饭”表（邀请）将出自主的神性属世层的良善变成他们自己的。这从“弟兄”、“吃”和“饭”的含义清楚可知：“弟兄”是指那些现即将凭约，也就是凭友谊联结的人，在内义上是指那些处于良善与真理的人，因为这种人被称为“兄弟或弟兄”（参看367，2360，3303，3459，3803，3815，4121，4191节）；“吃”是指变成自己的（3168，3513e，3832节），因为在古人当中，聚餐和筵席表示通过爱和仁变成自己的，并结合起来（3596节）；“饭或饼”（bread）是指爱之良善（276，680，1798，3478，3735节），在至高意义上是指主（2165，2177，3478，3813节）。“饭或饼”因在至高意义上表示主，故表示出自祂的一切神圣事物，也就是一切良善与真理。由于除了爱与仁之良善外，本为良善的其它良善并不存在，故“饭或饼”表示爱与仁。古代的祭物并不表示其它事物，因此它们用一个单词“饼”（bread，或译饭）来称呼（2165节）。他们也吃一些祭肉，这是为了能代表天上的筵席，也就是藉由爱与仁所流出的良善的结合。这就是现在的圣餐所表示的，因为圣餐取代了祭物和祭物的筵席。圣餐是教会含有内在在里面的外在，并通过这内在将处于爱和仁的人与天堂，然后通过天堂与主联结起来。因为在圣餐中，“吃”也表示变成人自己的，“饼”是指属天之爱，“酒”是指属灵之爱，以至于当人在神圣状态下吃圣餐时，在天上觉察不到别的。
之所以用“将出自主的神性属世层的良善变成他们自己的”这样的说法，是因为所论述的主题是外邦人当中的良善，而拉班现在就代表这种良善（4189节）。人与主的结合并非与祂的至高神性本身的结合，而是与祂的神性人身的结合；因为人根本无法对主的至高神性形成任何概念，这至高神性远远超出他的想象，以至于完全消失、化归乌有。但他能对祂的神性人身形成某种概念。因为人皆通过思维和情感与他对其有某种概念的人结合，却无法与他没有任何概念的人结合。人若在思想主的人身时，拥有圣洁在他的观念中，也会想到出于主并充满天堂的圣洁，同时想到天堂；因为天堂整体上对应于一个完整的人，这种对应关系来源于主（684，1276，2996，2998，3624-3649节）。这解释了为何与主的至高神性结合是不可能的，只能与祂的神性人身结合，通过这神性人身与祂的至高神性结合。因此，约翰福音中有这样的话：除了独生子，从来没有人看见神（约翰福音1:18）；若非藉着祂，没有人能到父那里去；因此祂又被称为中保。这一切的真相从以下事实清楚可知：在教会，凡声称信一位至高无上的存在，却又无视主的，都是那些根本什么都不信，甚至不信天堂或地狱的存在，并拜自然界的人。而且，这种人若愿意通过经历被教导，就会发现恶人，甚至最坏的人都会宣称这种信仰。
人对主的神性人身的想法各不相同，这个人的想法不同于另一个人的，或这个人的想法比另一个人的更神圣。教会之内的人能想到祂人身是神性，并且照主自己所说的，祂与父为一，父在祂里面，祂在父里面。但教会之外的人想不到这一切，既因为他们对主一无所知，还因为他们除了通过他们亲眼所看到的形像，和亲手所摸到的偶像外，对神性没有任何概念。然而，主仍通过他们出于仁爱所行的良善，以及他们对祂的粗俗观念中的顺从而与他们结合。这就是为何此处说这种人“将出自主的神性属世层的良善变成他们自己的”。因为主与人的结合取决于他的思维和随之情感的状态。那些拥有对主的最神圣的观念，同时拥有对良善与真理的纯正知识和情感的人（如那些在教会之内的人就能拥有）就与主的神性理性层结合。而那些对祂没有神圣观念，也没有这种内在观念和情感，但仍处于仁之良善的人，与主的神性属世层结合。那些圣洁还要粗糙的人则与主的神性感官层结合。这最后一种结合就是“铜蛇”所代表的；凡被蛇咬的，一望这铜蛇就好了（民数记21:9）。这就是外邦人当中那些虽拜偶像，但仍照着自己的宗教信仰过着仁爱生活的人所拥有的那种结合。综上所述，明显可知“叫自己的弟兄来吃饭”所表示的“将出自主的神性属世层的良善变成他们自己的”这句话是什么意思。
Potts(1905-1910) 4211
4211. And called his brethren to eat bread. That this signifies the appropriation of good from the Lord's Divine natural, is evident from the signification of "brethren," as being those who were now conjoined by a covenant, that is, by friendship; and in the internal sense those who are in good and truth (that these are called "brethren" may be seen above, n. 367, 2360, 3303, 3459, 3803, 3815, 4121, 4191); from the signification of "eating," as being appropriation (see n. 3168, 3513, 3832; and that banquets and feasts with the ancients signified appropriation and conjunction by love and charity, see above, n. 3596); and from the signification of "bread," as being the good of love (n. 276, 680, 1798, 3478, 3735), and in the supreme sense the Lord (n. 2165, 2177, 3478, 3813). As in the supreme sense "bread" signifies the Lord, it therefore signifies everything holy which is from Him, that is, everything good and true; and because there is nothing else good, which is good, except that which is of love and charity, "bread" signifies love and charity. Nor did the sacrifices of old signify anything else, for which reason they were called by the one word "bread" (n. 2165). They also ate together of the flesh of the sacrifices, in order that the heavenly feast might be represented, that is, conjunction by the good of love and charity. This is what is now signified by the Holy Supper; for this succeeded in the place of sacrifices, and of the feasts from the sanctified things; and the Holy Supper is an external of the church that contains within itself an internal, and by means of this internal it conjoins the man who is in love and charity with heaven, and through heaven with the Lord. For in the Holy Supper also, "eating" signifies appropriation, the "bread" celestial love, and the "wine" spiritual love; and this so entirely that when a man is in a holy state while eating it, nothing else is perceived in heaven. [2] The reason why the expression "the appropriation of good from the Lord's Divine natural" is made use of, is that the subject treated of is the good of the Gentiles, and it is this good which is now represented by Laban (n. 4189). Man's conjunction with the Lord is not a conjunction with His Supreme Divine Itself, but with His Divine Human; for man can have no idea whatever of the Lord's Supreme Divine, which so transcends his idea as altogether to perish and become nothing; but he can have an idea of His Divine Human. For everyone is conjoined by thought and affection with one concerning whom he has some idea, but not with one concerning whom he has no idea. If when anyone is thinking about the Lord's Human, he has holiness in his idea, he is thinking also of that holy which coming from the Lord fills heaven, so that he is also thinking of heaven; for in its complex heaven bears relation to a man, and it does this from the Lord (n. 684, 1276, 2996, 2998, 3624-3649); and this accounts for the fact that no conjunction is possible with the Lord's Supreme Divine, but only with His Divine Human, and through His Divine Human with His Supreme Divine. Hence it is said in John that no one hath seen God at any time, except the Only begotten Son (1:18); and that no one can come to the Father except through Him; and hence also He is called the Mediator. That such is the case may be very well known from the fact that all within the church who say they believe in a Supreme Being, and make no account of the Lord, are precisely those who believe nothing at all, not even that there is a heaven, or that there is a hell, and who worship nature. Moreover, if such persons are willing to be instructed by experience, they will see that the evil, even the worst of them, say the same thing. [3] But as regards the Lord's Human, men think in various ways, one in one way and another in another, and one in a more holy way than another. They who are within the church are able to think that His Human is Divine, and also that as He says He is one with the Father, and that the Father is in Him, and He in the Father. But they who are without the church cannot do this, both because they know nothing about the Lord and because they have no idea of the Divine except from the images which they see with their eyes, and the idols which they can touch with their hands. And yet the Lord conjoins Himself with these by means of the good of their charity and obedience that is within their gross idea of Him. For this reason it is here said that such have an "appropriation of good from the Lord's Divine natural;" for the conjunction of the Lord with man is according to the state of his thought and the derivative affection. They who are in the most holy idea concerning the Lord, and at the same time in the knowledges and affections of good and truth-as those can be who are within the church-are conjoined with the Lord in respect to His Divine rational; whereas they who are not in such holiness, nor in such interior idea and affection, and yet are in the good of charity, are conjoined with the Lord in respect to His Divine natural. They who have a holiness of a still grosser kind are conjoined with the Lord in respect to His Divine sensuous; and this conjunction is what is represented by the brazen serpent, in that those who looked at it recovered from the bite of the serpents (Num. 21:9). In this conjunction are those among the Gentiles who worship idols, and yet live in charity in accordance with their religion. From all this it is now evident what is meant by the appropriation of good from the Lord's Divine natural, which is signified by Jacob's calling his brethren to eat bread.
Elliott(1983-1999) 4211
4211. 'And called his brothers to eat bread' means [an invitation] to make the good from the Lord's Divine Natural their own. This is clear from the meaning of 'brothers' as those who were now to be joined together by the covenant, that is, by friendship, and in the internal sense as those who are governed by good and truth (for such people are called 'brothers', see 367, 2360, 3303, 3459, 3803, 3815, 4121, 4191); from the meaning of 'eating' as making one's own, dealt with in 3168, 3513 (end), 3832 (for meals taken together and feasts among the ancients meant making things their own and being joined together by means of love and charity, 3596); and from the meaning of 'bread' as good that stems from love, dealt with in 276, 680, 1798, 3478, 3735, and in the highest sense means the Lord, 2165, 2177, 3478, 3813. Since 'bread' in the highest sense means the Lord it therefore means everything holy which comes from Him, that is, it means everything good and true. And since no other good exists which is good except the good of love and charity, 'bread' therefore means love and charity. Sacrifices in former times had no other meaning, and for that reason were referred to by the single word 'bread', see 2165. And some of the flesh of the sacrifices was eaten so that the heavenly feast - that is, a joining together through good flowing from love and charity - might be represented. The same is meant today by the Holy Supper, for this has replaced sacrifices and feasts of consecrated things. The Holy Supper is in the Church an external practice that has an internal reality within it, and by means of this reality it joins one who is governed by love and charity to heaven, and by means of heaven to the Lord. For in the Holy Supper too 'eating' means making one's own - 'the bread' being celestial love and 'the wine' spiritual love - so much so that while it is being eaten by one in a state of holiness nothing else is perceived in heaven.
[2] The reason why the phrase 'making the good from the Lord's Divine Natural their own' is used is that the subject is the good that exists with the gentiles, for it is this good that 'Laban' represents now, 4189. When man is joined to the Lord he is not joined to His Supreme Divine itself but to His Divine Human, for man cannot have any idea at all of the Lord's Supreme Divine, because this lies so far beyond anything he can conceive of that it fades from view altogether and ceases to mean anything to him. But he is able to have an idea of His Divine Human. For everyone is joined through thought and affection to one of whom he can have some idea but not to one of whom he cannot have any idea. If, when a person thinks about the Lord's Human, holiness is present in his ideas he also thinks of the holiness which comes from the Lord and fills heaven, and at the same time he thinks of heaven, since heaven in its entirety corresponds to a complete human being, which correspondence has its origin in the Lord, 684, 1276, 2996, 2998, 3624-3649. This explains why it is not possible to be joined to the Lord's Supreme Divine, only to His Divine Human, and through that Divine Human to His Supreme Divine. Hence the statement in John 1:18 about nobody, except the only begotten Son, ever having seen God, also the statement about there being no way to the Father except through Him; as well as from the statement that He is the Mediator. The truth of all this can be plainly recognized from the fact that all within the Church who declare their belief in a Supreme Being and yet set the Lord at nought are people who have no belief in anything at all, not even in the existence of heaven or of hell, and who worship nature. And if such people are ready to learn from experience it will be clear to them that the wicked, even those who are extremely so, declare a like belief.
[3] But the way in which people think of the Lord's Human varies, one person's ideas being different from another's, and one person's more holy than another's. Those within the Church are able to think that His Human is Divine, and also that He is one with the Father, as He Himself says that the Father is in Him and He is in the Father. But those outside the Church are unable to do this, for one thing because they do not know anything about the Lord and for another because their idea of the Divine is gained solely from visible images and tangible idols. Nevertheless the Lord joins Himself to them by means of the good they do from the charity and obedience present within their crude notions of Him. And this is why mention is made here about them making the good from the Lord's Divine Natural their own. For when the Lord is joined to man the state of thought and consequent affection in him determines the exact nature of that conjunction. Those who have an entirely holy conception of the Lord and who at the same time have a true knowledge of and affections for what is good and true - as those within the Church are able to have - have been joined to the Lord as to His Divine Rational. Those however who do not have so holy a notion of Him and who do not have so interior a notion and affection, and yet the good of charity exists with them, have been joined to the Lord as regards His Divine Natural. And those whose holiness is cruder still are joined to the Lord as to His Divine Sensory Perception. This last type of joining is what is represented by 'the bronze serpent', in that those who looked at it recovered from serpent-bites, Num 21: 9. This is the type of joining together which those among the gentiles have who worship idols and yet lead charitable lives in accordance with their own religion. From these considerations one may now see what is meant by making the good from the Lord's Divine Natural their own, meant by 'Jacob called his brothers to eat bread'.
Latin(1748-1756) 4211
4211. `Et vocavit fratres suos ad comedendum panem': quod significet appropriationem boni a Domini Divino Naturali, constat a significatione `fratrum' quod sint illi qui nunc foedere, hoc est, amicitia conjuncti essent, et in sensu interno qui in bono et vero; quod hi fratres dicantur, videatur {1} n. 367, 2360, 3303, 3459, 3803, 3815, 4121, 4191; ex significatione `comedere' quod sit appropriatio, de qua n. 3168, 3513 f., 3832; quod comestiones et convivia apud antiquos significarent appropriationem et conjunctionem per amorem et charitatem, n. 3596; et a significatione `panis' quod sit bonum amoris, de qua n. 276, 680, 1798, 3478, 3735, ac in supremo sensu Dominus, n. 2165, 2177, 3478, 3813; quia `panis' in supremo sensu significat Dominum, idcirco significat omne sanctum quod ab Ipso, hoc est, omne bonum et verum, et quia non (o)est aliud bonum quod est bonum {2}, quam quod est amoris et charitatis, ideo `panis' significat amorem et charitatem;sacrificia olim nec aliud significabant, quapropter illa una voce vocabantur `panis,' videatur n. 2165, et quoque ex carne sacrificiorum comedebatur ut repraesentaretur convivium caeleste, hoc est, conjunctio per bonum quod {3} amoris et charitatis: hoc nunc est quod significatur per Sacram Cenam, nam haec successit loco sacrificiorum et conviviorum ei sanctificatis; estque haec, nempe Sacra Cena, externum Ecclesiae quod internum in se habet, et per internum conjungit hominem qui in amore et charitate est, cum caelo, et per caelum cum Domino; nam etiam in Sacra Cena `comedere' significat appropriationem, `panis amorem caelestem, et `vinum' amorem spiritualem, et (o)hoc usque adeo ut cum homo in sancto est cum edit, in caelo non aliud percipiatur. [2] Quod dicatur appropriatio (o)boni a Domini Divino Naturali, est quia agitur de bono gentium; bonum enim gentium est quod nunc per `Labanem' repraesentatur, n. 4189; conjunctio hominis cum Domino non est cum Ipso Supremo Divino Ipsius sed cum Divino Humano Ipsius, nam homo de Supremo Divino Domini nullam prorsus ideam potest habere, sed transcendit ita ejus ideam ut prorsus pereat et nulla fiat, verum de Divino Humano Ipsius ideam habere potest; quisque enim conjungitur per cogitationem et affectionem, de {4} quo aliquam ideam habet, non autem de {5} quo nullam habere potest; (m)cum cogitatur de Humano Domini, tunc si sanctitas inest ideae, cogitatur etiam de sancto quod a Domino implet caelum, ita quoque de caelo, nam caelum in suo complexu refert unum hominem, et hoc a Domino: n. 684, 1276, 2996, 2998, 3624-3649;(n) inde est quod conjunctio non dari queat cum Supremo Divino Domini sed cum Divino Humano Ipsius, et per Divinum Humanum cum Supremo Divino Ipsius;
inde est quod dicatur apud Johannem, Quod Deum nemo vidit unquam, quam Unigenitus Filius, i 18, et quod `non aditus detur ad Patrem, quam per Ipsum'; tum quod `Ille sit Mediator'; hoc {6} manifeste potest sciri ex eo quod omnes illi intra Ecclesiam qui dicunt quod credant Supremum Ens {7}, ac Dominum contemnunt, sint qui nihil prorsus credunt, ne quidem quod caelum sit, nec quod infernum, et qui naturam colunt;
et quoque, si ab experientia instrui velint, constabit quod mali immo pessimi idem dicant. [3] Sed homo de Humano Domini cogitat varie, unus (o)homo aliter quam aliter, et unus sanctius quam alter; qui intra Ecclesiam sunt, possunt cogitare quod Humanum Ipsius Divinum sit, et quoque quod unus sit cum Patre, sicut Ipse dicit, quod `Pater in Ipso, et Ipse in Patre'; at qui extra Ecclesiam, hoc non possunt, tam quia non sciunt aliquid de Domino, quam quia de Divino non aliunde {8} ideam habent quam ex imaginibus quas oculis vident, et ex idolis quae possunt tangere; sed usque conjungit Se Dominus cum illis per bonum charitatis et oboedientiae illorum in crassa illorum idea; inde est quod hic dicatur quod illis appropriatio boni sit a Domini Divino Naturali; se enim habet conjunctio Domini cum homine secundum statum cogitationis et inde affectionis ejus; qui in sanctissima idea de Domino sunt, et simul in cognitionibus et affectionibus boni et veri, quales possunt esse illi qui intra Ecclesiam, conjuncti sunt cum Domino quoad Divinum Rationale Ipsius; at qui non in tali sanctitate sunt, nec in tali idea interiore et affectione, et tamen in bono charitatis, conjuncti sunt cum Domino quoad Divinum Naturale Ipsius; qui adhuc crassiorem sanctitatem habent, illi conjunguntur Domino quoad Divinum Sensuale Ipsius; haec conjunctio est quae repraesentatur per `serpentem aeneum' quod a morsu serpentum revixerint illi qui aspexerunt illum, Num. xxi 9; in hac conjunctione sunt illi inter gentes qui idola colunt, et usque secundum religiosum suum in charitate vivunt. Ex his nunc constare potest quid intelligitur per appropriationem boni a Domini Divino Naturali, quae significatur per quod `Jacob vocaverit' fratres ad comedendum panem. @1 de qua$ @2 datur$ @3 i est$ @4 i sed$ @5 cum$ @6 haec$ @7 i dari possibly deleted$ @8 aliam$